The invention relates generally to energy collection and transfer apparatus and more specifically to such apparatus for heating and cooling building structures primarily by means of the collection and dissipation of solar and other radiant energy, as well as by convective and conductive heat transfer.
The dramatic increase in the cost of energy in recent years, coupled with the concern for conservation of non-renewable energy sources, has encouraged the development of various devices and systems for converting solar energy into more readily-usable energy forms as well as for reducing the energy used in heating and cooling building structures. Such prior developments include various collection devices positioned for direct exposure to the sun, various devices for directing and concentrating the sun's radiant energy onto thermal collectors, and apparatus for selectively blocking such exposure to the sun's rays under predetermined conditions. While many of such prior devices have been found to be fairly effective, they have frequently been inordinately expensive and complex. Furthermore, many of such prior developments have not taken full advantage of the potential of solar energy for year-around heating and cooling purposes, both during the day and the night, and have generally required additional apparatus or systems for cooling the interior of building structures. The need has continued, therefore, for relatively simple and inexpensive solar energy transfer systems which efficiently and effectively convey the stored thermal energy to the interior of the building structure and which also may be used to cool the building or to supplement the building's conventional cooling system in order to reduce energy usage and cost on a year-around basis.
In accordance with the present invention, a thermal energy transfer device adapted for installation in an exterior wall or roof of a building structure generally includes collector means for receiving and storing thermal energy from either the exterior or interior of the building structure. The device also includes movable thermal reflector means, which are preferably thermally insulated, for alternatively concentrating thermal energy from the surroundings on to the collector means or dispersing thermal energy from the collector means into the surroundings, and actuating means for rotating the movable reflector means about the collector means in order to accomplish such alternative purposes. Preferably, the thermal energy transfer device includes redundant fixed reflector means which cooperate with the movable reflector means to optimize the amount of energy collected or dispersed. The device may also optionally include movable reflectors and other components that are transparent or semi-transparent, thereby making the device especially applicable for window installations.
Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and from the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.